Tearable filling and sealing closure plug

ABSTRACT

A plastic resin closure plug is particularly adapted for insertion into a rigid panel of a structure which is to be filled with a foam insulation. The tubular shank portion of the plug fits within a hole of the panel and a flange portion of the plug lies on one side of the panel. The plug&#39;&#39;s top portion is connected to the shank portion by a web which is sufficiently thin so that it may be broken for insertion of a foaming nozzle. An integral hinge is provided connecting the top portion with the plug.

Stats atl [541 TEARABLE lFllLlLliNG AND MEANING CLUSURE PLUG [72]Inventor: Willis S. Dawson, Henderson City, Ky. [73] Assignee: (IyanedePlastics, l[nc., Henderson, Ky.

[22] Filed: .llune 12, 1970 i211 App1.No.: 45,913

{52] L15. til. ..l37/6ti, 220/27 [51] lint. (J1 ..F116li 113/041 [58]llicld oli Search ..220/27, 89 A; 137/68, 71

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,553,267 5/1951 Nedoh..220/89 A 3,039,482 6/1962 Goldberg.

[ ,ln. 1, i972 3,083,858 4/1963 Biedenstein ..220/27 3,434,620 3/1969Laurizio 3,478,761 11/1969 Fox ..l37/68 Primary Examiner-Joseph R.Leclaiir Assistant Examiner James R. Garrett Attorney-Eliot S. Gerber[57] ABSTRACT A plastic resin closure plug is particularly adapted forinsertion into a rigid panel ofa structure which is to be filled with afoam insulation. The tubular shank portion of the plug fits within ahole of the panel and a flange portion of the plug lies on one side ofthe panel. The plugs top portion is connected to the shank portion by aweb which is sufficiently thin so that it may be broken for insertion ofa foaming nozzle, An integral hinge is provided connecting the topportion with the plug.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENIEDJAM 8M2 3,635,234

W FVENTOR.

TlEAl' lAhLlE i lllLlLllhlG AND SlEALllhlG CLOSURE PLUG The presentinvention relates to closure members and more particularly to a plasticresin closure plug for a rigid thin panel.

in the past, temperature insulation materials have taken various forms,for example, pressed waste wood and fiberglass bats. It has, however,been difficult to completely fill the spaces between curved panels orpanels having reinforcing struts. In freezers and refrigerators, anincreasingly used system is to fill the space between metal or otherrigid panels with a foamed plastic resin insulation. in a typicalfoamed-inplace resin system a nozzle is inserted through a hole in apanel and a chemical liquid mixture injected therethrough. The liquidself-foams and fills all the available space between the panels. Uponthe completion of the chemical reaction, a rigid or flexible insulatinglayer of foamed plastic resin is formed.

It is desirable that the closure plug, which may be used to fill a panelhole during shipment, may also be used as a cover over the hole duringand after the placement of the insulation. It is further desirable thata one-way valve structure be provided for the entry of the foamingnozzle to prevent spillage of the foaming plastic from the filling hole.

it is the objective of the present invention to provide a onepiececlosure plug which may be molded of plastic resin and which may besevered to act as a one-way valve and prevent foam insulation fromspilling.

it is a further objective of the present invention to provide a closureplug which may be readily inserted and retained in holes in panels,although such holes are not accurate in size, for example, because theyare misaligned when punched or drilled by automatic machinery.

It is still a further objective of the present invention to provide sucha plug which may provide a complete cover for a hole or which may bepartly severed to provide a one-way valve or whose top portion may beremoved, leaving a grommet.

In accordance with the present invention a closure plug for a hole in apanel is molded as a one-piece integral unit from a suitable, somewhatflexible plastic resin, such as polyethylene. The plug includes atubular shank portion whose outer wall is canted inward at the bottom toaccommodate the plug to variations in hole sizes, and canted inward nearthe top to secure the plug in the panel. The plug has an annular flangeportion having, in cross section, a flat bottom and a curved top; anannular connecting web and a dish-shaped concaveconvex top portion. Ahinge connects the top portion to the shank portion even after severingof the web.

Other objectives of the present invention will be apparent from itsdetailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings. in the drawings:

FlG. l is a top plan view of the closure plug of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view taken along the line A- A of FlG.ll;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of a portion of the saidclosure plug; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the closure plug of H68. 1-3.

As shown in N68. 1 to 3, the plug it) of the present invention includes,as integral portions of a single-molded piece, a shank portion, aflange, a web, a hinge, and a top. The shank portion lll is in the formof a tubular member having cylindri cal sidewalls. The outer sidewall 12is canted towards the bottom 13 of the sidewall. The outer diameter ofthe shank portion, at the point 34 would be, for example, 1.5 39 inch tobe a press-fit through a hole of 1.5 inch in diameter. in contrast, thebottom of the shank portion, at point 115, has a diameter of 1.473 inch.This canted wall is necessary to provide adequate lead-in" for easyinsertion as the hole may not be made with an exact and accuratediameter.

The top portion of the shank lid is canted inward toward the top so thatit grips the thin panel. For example, the cant to may have a height ofthree sixty-fourths of an inch.

A flange i7 is provided at the top of the plug ill. The flange i7 is anannular member. The flange 17, at its radially inward side, is integralwith the top of the shank portion. The bottom llfl of the flange is flatand adapted to lie on the top face of the panel. The upper surface 119of the flange is curved in cross section. Such curved cross sectionprovides a lead-in for foam ing nozzles and a smooth surface in theevent that cable or wires are placed through the opening and the cableand wire runs over the curved surface 19.

The plug llll has a top portion 20 having a convex side 2ll directeddownward into the hole in which the closure member is positioned, and aconcave face 22 facing away from that hole. The concave side of the top20 has a plurality of ribs 23, 24k 25 and 2b to provide a reinforcementstiffening for the top. The ribs prevent warpage, for example, underheat, and prevent collapse of the top under pressure. Preferably, asshown in FIG. 1, the ribs are directed outward from a hinge portion 27.The ribs may be omitted if such reinforcement is not required. The hingeportion is integral with the thin connecting web 28 connected at ashoulder 29 on the shank portion Ill. The thin web 28 provides a meanswhereby the top portion 20 may be partly separated from the plug. Theweb 28, as shown in H6. 3, is the line of connection between a shoulder2'9 of the shank portion and an overlapping edge of the bottom shoulder35 of the top portion. The hinge 27, after such separation, will supportthe top portion 20 as a flap, the flap being connected only at thehinge. The hinge 27 may have a width, as shown by the arrows 3d, ofthreesixteenth of an inch and its depth may be, as shown by the arrows311 of FIG. 3, 0.010 inch, in addition to the thickness of the web.

A small protruding marking 32 is provided on the top of the flangesurface i9 directly behind the hinge 27. The marking 32 enables theworker to see the hinge and to position the hinge a any desired locationin the panel hole. An annular boss 33 is provided at the top edge of thetop 20. The boss 33 has the same function as ribs 23, 2d, 25 and 26 andcan be positioned further outboard to help guide the top back into itsseated position. On the internal wall of the shank portion a number (twoor more) of tapered ribs 36 are used to assist in insuring that the flapreturns to a closed position around the complete circumference.

The web, which is the connection between the shank portion and the topportion, is directly on the same level as the high point 34 of theshank. Any point above high point 34 is a retention point for the plug.This has two functional results: (1) the plug, when installed, is undercompression slightly above point 3d, due to pressure from the internalwall of the hole. Such pressure starts the stretch or cold flow of theweb, which is the weakest or thinnest portion connecting the topportion. The cold flow does not weaken the plug sufficiently to harm itsuse as a simple closure device, but it does make the top portion easierto sever or partly sever from the plug. (2) After tearing of the web,the shoulder of the top portion will be able to be reseated on a largersurface due to the compressron.

in operation, a worker places the plug MB in a hole in a flat rigidpanel, for example, the inner lining of a refrigerator. The part may beshipped or otherwise handled in that condition. The hinge is positionedas required for the particular application in the hole. To fill therefrigerator panel with foamed insulation, the worker pushes the top,breaking the web 28, for example, by using a ball peen hammer or,alternatively, by pushing against the top portion with the end of anozzle. The nozzle is then inserted through an opening formed by thebackward motion of the top, i.e., in the direction of the arrow A of H6.2. The liquid resin, for example, a two-part mixture of polyurethanefoam forming resin, is injected from the nozzle to in between the panelsand then the nozzle withdrawn. The liquid will chemically self-react andproduce a foam which will rise and fill the space between the panels.The gases from the foam will exit through the hole without closing thevalve. The rising level of the foam will then close the top portion 20,in the direction of arrow B, using the hinge 27 as the pivot for the topportion 20. The tapered ribs 36 will aid the top in reseating itselfwithin the plug. The plug top portion will then act as a seal andprevent the foamed insulating resin from spilling from within the panel.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with itsuse in foamed plastic resin in refrigerator panels, it will beunderstood that it is possible for the closure plug of the presentinvention to have other uses. For example, the plug may be used inconnection with foamed plastic resin insulation in house units, forexample, as insulation in the walls of house trailers. As anotherexample, the plug may be used as a lining for holes in the metal panelsof electrical work, in which case the curved surface 19 forms a grommet.ln such electrical work it may be preferable for the entire top to beremoved, that is, the top to be severed at its hinge as well as at itsweb. The closure plug may also be used as a one-way valve and employed,for example, as a vacuum vent in refrigerators or other products. Insuch uses, the top acts as a one-way gas valve to permit gas flow in thedirection A of H6. 2 by pivoting of the top portion on the hinge. Thetop portion 20 then closes, in the direction of arrow B, under the forceof higher gas pressure on its bottom side 21. The higher gas pressure onits bottom side 21 may be atmospheric pressure and the lower gaspressure on side 22 may be a vacuum.

Modifications may be made in the present invention within the scope ofthe subjoined claims. For example, the shank length may be increased sothat the plug would fit holes formed in plaster sheet rock or otherpanels used in building construction.

I, claim:

l. A plug of a plastic resin material molded as an integral member andconsisting of a tubular shank portion whose outer cylindrical wall isadapted to fit in a hole in a panel;

a flange portion connected to said shank portion and being annularshaped and having a lower surface adapted to lie on the surface of saidpanel;

a connecting web portion connected to said shank portion and beingannular in shape and directed radially inward from said shank portion;

a top portion connected to said web and forming a closure cover oversaid hole;

and a hinge portion connected between said shank portion and said topportion, said hinge portion retaining said top as a one-way valve flapwhen the web portion is severed.

2. A plug as in claim 1 wherein said top is a concave-convex dish-shapedmember with its convex side directed inward toward said hole.

3. A plug as in claim 2 wherein said top has integral crossrib membersfor strength, said members directed across said concave side.

4. A plug as in claim 1 wherein an annular boss is positioned on theradial inside of said web and directed upward away from said hole.

5. A plug as in claim 1 and also including a boss on the plug near thesaid hinge to indicate the position of the hinge.

6. A plug as in claim 1 wherein the top of the said flange is curved incross section to form a grommet having a curved top face upon theremoval or opening of the said top portion.

1. A plug of a plastic resin material molded as an integral member andconsisting of a tubular shank portion whose outer cylindrical wall isadapted to fit in a hole in a panel; a flange portion connected to saidshank portion and being annular shaped and having a lower surfaceadapted to lie on the surface of said panel; a connecting web portionconnected to said shank portion and being annular in shape and directedradially inward from said shank portion; a top portion connected to saidweb and forming a closure cover over said hole; and a hinge portionconnected between said shank portion and said top portion, said hingeportion retaining said top as a one-way valve flap when the web portionis sEvered.
 2. A plug as in claim 1 wherein said top is a concave-convexdish-shaped member with its convex side directed inward toward saidhole.
 3. A plug as in claim 2 wherein said top has integral cross-ribmembers for strength, said members directed across said concave side. 4.A plug as in claim 1 wherein an annular boss is positioned on the radialinside of said web and directed upward away from said hole.
 5. A plug asin claim 1 and also including a boss on the plug near the said hinge toindicate the position of the hinge.
 6. A plug as in claim 1 wherein thetop of the said flange is curved in cross section to form a grommethaving a curved top face upon the removal or opening of the said topportion.